MR. GIBSON BOWLESI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the attention of the Board of Admiralty has been drawn to the statement by Captain Hammill in the Howe Court Martial (Question 293), that the positions of masts, funnels, and compasses in the Royal Sovereign are such that it is impossible to keep on for a short course by compass a stern leading mark, such as Mount Christoral is for the mid-channel course in Ferrol; and whether there is any difficulty in any other of Her Majesty's ships in taking and keeping on a stern bearing?
SIR U. KAY-SHUTTLEWORTHThe compass being necessarily in the centre line of the ship, and the masts also in the centre line, a bearing cannot be taken directly ahead or astern, according as the mast is before or abaft the compass. The funnels are an additional 961 obstacle. In the Royal Sovereign there is a clear view ahead from the foremost compass and a clear view astern from the after compass. As a matter of fact, the Royal Sovereign, in entering Ferrol, selected a point ahead, and steered by it.
SIR U. KAY-SHUTTLEWORTHI have already pointed out that there is no difficulty in taking a stern bearing from the after compass.